Thursday, October 25, 2012

Last week we were finally feeling better (or at least well enough to be playing games again...) but our friends who
had joined the Greek
Mythology Campaign were heading out of town. Rather than forge on
ahead without them, we decided to try something a little different...

I set up a game set in the fictional African nation (or
region, in this case) of Timbogo – the setting of many more modern wargames and
adventures on the “Dark Continent”.

The scenario gave me the opportunity
to explain foreign exploitation of African resources and colonization by
Europeans. After that the kids decided they wanted to play the “good guys” (the
African natives).

Central African region of
Timbogo, Late Nineteenth Century.

SITUATION

The Lederhosen/Schnapps
Expedition arrives in one of the last regions of Africa to be explored by
Europeans. The region has thus far thought to be mostly devoid of desirable
resources to be plundered combined with the fact that the area is so far from
the coast or, until recently, any trains as to make exploitation of any
resources not economically feasible. Also the rumours of the combative nature
of the occupying tribes have thus far kept Europeans at bay. But as the map
quickly gets gobbled up and colonies established the race for even the most
desolate regions has picked up in pace…

SCENARIO

Lederhosen/Schnapps Expedition
has to press through off the other side of the table with all of their
expedition gear.

The Timbos must kill or capture
the Europeans and/or their expedition gear/porters…

I had come up with a system of
victory points for the scenario, but I forget what they were…

FORCES

Lederhosen/Schnapps Expedition

Heinrich von Lederhosen – Wild
Card Explorer

Eric von Schnapps – Wild Card
Big Game Hunter

African Porters

African Mercenaries

Local Tribesman

Kulumbo Ngonk – Wild Card Tribal
Chiefan

Tribal Warriors

Young Warriors

Archers

THE GAME

(Remember: click on the pictures
for a bigger version)

The Africans make their first
moves.

Kulumbo Ngonk leading the Timbo
Tribal Warriors. The Young Warriors can be seen behind them.

The Lederhosen/Schnapps
Expedition

The Lederhosen/Schnapps
Expedition enters the jungle.

Unsure if the movement in the
bushes is angry natives or angry wild animals Lederhosen and Schnapps don’t
take chances and open fire!

The Timbo Archers ruch out of
the bush and pin-cushion the African Mercenaries.

The Timbo Warriors move out!

Wait… what are these guys
doing…?

Point blank fire fails to stop
the charge!

The last African mercenary goes
down in a hail of arrows.

The warriors contact Lederhosen
and Schnapps.

Things go from bad to worse: the
Young Warriors arrive to plunder the baggage train!

Lederhosen and Schnapps attempt
to surrender… for some reason Kulumbo Ngonk accepts their surrender and spares
their lives. Later Lederhosen and Schnapps secure their release with promises
of fire arms for the Timbos with which they can overcome their tribal rivals
the Bongos.